Expressive E’s 2.0 firmware has arrived for their flagship Osmose expressive keyboard. With better external MIDI support and improved preset management and navigation, this significant release addresses some of what users most wanted.
What’s included:
New external MIDI support for playing modes. The MPE Arpeggiator and Pressure Glide are now available in external MIDI mode — meaning you can use these features with other MPE software and hardware instruments. The internal engine is great, but that interoperability is the whole point of MIDI.
Expanded preset functionality. Now load 2048 presets onboard, each with their own sensitivity and playing features (arp/press glide) if you like. That’s really too many, so there’s also a favorite feature. That’s a big deal, as the way I think most of us will approach the Osmose is to pick some favorites and really practice them – this isn’t a ROMpler, but something more like an instrument that you learn. There are also little details like automatically loading your last preset when you start up.
New navigation system and playlists. Navigation workflow has been updated for the preset system, too, with a playlist feature for organizing groups of presets. That’s obviously useful for live performances, but it can help in practicing or generating ideas, too – or associating little “ensembles” of instruments with tracks or projects.
And all of this comes with full Program Change and MIDI Bank Select support.
There’s also a sound bank management system which will support software bank uploads in future, according to Expressive E.
Haken Editor was updated, too.
Here’s their excellent overview:
They’ve been doing some other tutorials, which I’ll talk about soon, though I’m really tempted to re-shoot this tutorial and use 100% more Sculpture!
What else is coming? They’ve announced more of what’s on the roadmap, too:
- A more user-friendly way to edit presets – the Hakan Editor is powerful but a bit intimidating for some!
- Upgraded EganMatrix DSP with “a new oscillator type, several new filter models, and improved effects, including a new saturation effect anr improved reverb algorithms”
- A new, free Osmose sound bank taking advantage of that new engine
- A new “resynthesis” engine – feed it a sample, and it will recreate that in the algorithm, “using subtle to wild gesture modulations across the whole keybed, like playing a new kind of instrument.” I’m assuming that’s some sort of AI analysis, as we’ve seen with the awesome Synplant 2.0, but I haven’t confirmed that with them yet. I’m excited, regardless.
The update is free for all Osmose owners across architectures.
https://www.expressivee.com/2-osmose
Meanwhile, you have a lot to play with.